Patient Communication Skills Flashcards
7 cards from real OSCE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Patient Communication Skills flashcards as text
A patient with low health literacy is given a discharge summary. Which action best ensures comprehension?
Answer: Use verbal teach-back with plain language and ask if they have questions
Verbal teach-back in plain language is more reliable than written materials for patients with low health literacy.
What is the purpose of using silence strategically during a patient interview?
Answer: To give the patient space to elaborate or process emotions
Deliberate silence invites the patient to continue speaking, often revealing important information they might not have volunteered.
During a sexual history, a patient becomes embarrassed and goes quiet. The best response is:
Answer: 'These questions are routine for everyone—you're doing great.'
Normalizing the question as routine reduces embarrassment and encourages the patient to continue without feeling singled out.
Which element of the Calgary-Cambridge model addresses the clinical reasoning shared with the patient?
Answer: Explanation and planning
The 'Explanation and Planning' phase of Calgary-Cambridge involves sharing the clinician's reasoning and involving the patient in management decisions.
A competent adult patient requests information about their diagnosis be withheld from their family. You should:
Answer: Honor the patient's request as confidentiality is a patient right
Competent adults have the right to decide who receives their medical information; confidentiality must be upheld unless there is a legal exception.
A patient asks you to repeat information you already explained twice. The best approach is:
Answer: Repeat the information patiently using different, simpler language
Patiently repeating information with varied language reflects that health education requires multiple exposures and different approaches for different learners.
Motivational interviewing is most useful when:
Answer: A patient is ambivalent about making a health behavior change
Motivational interviewing is designed to explore and resolve ambivalence, helping patients move toward behavior change on their own terms.
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